Tidal Waves and Lightning
by annabeth-in-olympus
Summary: Insights into Percy and Thalia's friendship. Oneshot taking place around and post HoO. Rated T for minimal swearing.


Request: "Hey, can you do Percy and Thalia fic? I mean about their friendship and the unique bond they share."

I really loved this request! I had several different headcanons about them so this fic jumps around a little. Let me know if there's an interest for more because I love these two and there's definitely more to explore.

* * *

Thalia's face was dark and unreadable when she heard that Percy and Annabeth were in Tartarus. She stared into the distance for a long time, eyes grim. Nobody spoke for a while. Finally, she snapped a dead branch in half and continued lighting the campfire. "They'll be okay."

Reyna glanced at her cautiously. "Will they, though?"

Thalia blew on the tender flames. "You don't even know what they're capable of. Literally nobody makes a better team. They're total freaks." She paused, considering the small collection of kindling available. "Kind of annoying, though."

Reyna raised her eyebrows. "What is?"

Thalia stood abruptly, dusting off her jeans and stepping over the fire to find more wood. "Percy and I just have an ongoing bet about who's been doing more dangerous stuff, and he's winning."

* * *

Piper paused at the top of the stairs to the upper deck, hair damp and coffee in hand. It was bright, early morning. Most everyone on the Argo II was still asleep. She was scheduled for the next guard slot, and expected only Percy to be on deck. She hadn't expected, however, to hear his and Thalia's voices floating her way.

It was strange, having Thalia temporarily on board, if only for a couple of days until they dropped her where she needed to be. It shifted the dynamic in interesting ways. She and Annabeth had grabbed each other in such a vicelike, familiar way that it had taken Piper aback. She hadn't grasped the powerful, unique past and bond they apparently shared. And when Thalia had seen Percy, she'd simultaneously grabbed him into a bear hug and started hitting him, at once laughing and also berating him for being such an idiot as to disappear off the face of the earth for so long.

It had struck Piper, the difference between the way that Thalia and Jason were with each other – desperate to talk as much as possible, but with little common ground, more or less strangers – and the way that Thalia and Percy seemed to fall into an old pattern of familiarity. It questioned, in a sense, all the meanings of the word _family._

And now Piper hesitated, not meaning to eavesdrop but not wanting to interrupt.

"…she seems really happy." This from Thalia. Piper climbed a few more steps to the top, and saw them sitting side by side on the deck against the main mast, knees drawn up and hair blowing in the early breeze. It was hard to tell how long they'd been there. Possibly through all of Percy's guard shift.

"Really, though? I mean, this hasn't been the easiest –"

"No, I can tell. I know neither of you wanted to go on this whole quest, but seriously, underneath she's the happiest I've ever seen her. It's because of you."

They were both silent for a while, watching the ocean, Percy flicking riptide, in pen form, reflexively from hand to hand.

Thalia changed the subject. "How's your mom? I mean, before all this."

Percy shrugged. "She's good – or was, I guess. Really good, actually. She asks about you sometimes."

Thalia looked surprised, and there was some deeper reaction playing on her face, as well. "Seriously? I didn't think – wow. Your mom is…you're just lucky, Seaweed Brain."

Percy glanced at her. "You can come over anytime, you know. She'd be glad to see you. I mean, like, after this whole quest is over and Hera gets her little power trips in check and assuming we don't all go back to Tartarus to stay…"

Thalia half-smiled, the deeper emotion still in her eyes. "I will. I want to. Thanks."

At this point, Piper felt like she could step in and let them know she was there – she hadn't heard anything she probably shouldn't – when Thalia abruptly changed the subject again.

"So do you think you'll get married?"

Piper was pretty sure Thalia wasn't referring to Percy's mom.

"Jesus, Thalia." Percy leaned back, ruffling a hand through his messy hair. "We're in high school."

"No duh. I don't mean _soon_ , Seaweed Brain. But like, one day someday." She nudged his shoulder and grinned, adopting a deep, phony Dad Voice. _"What exactly are your intentions toward my_ _oldest friend and basically-sister?"_

Percy leaned his head back on the rigging, looking up at the sky. "Entirely dishonorable." He tossed riptide and caught it. "Also, you're sounding a lot like Athena."

Thalia laughed. They settled back into silence, and then Percy said, "but honestly, like, don't think I'm not legit about this. It's the real deal."

Thalia looked at him. "I know. That's why I asked. Realest thing _I've_ ever seen." She grabbed riptide mid-toss and lightheartedly threw the pen into the ocean. "I bet all the gods gate-crash your wedding and make a shit-show of an unforgettable scene."

Piper quietly backed up, back down the stairs, leaving them to their private conversation as Percy spluttered about his weapon and Thalia's laughter carried on the wind.

* * *

And the quest did end, as did the giant war. Life moved forward, and old friends moved in and out of one another's lives in a series of broken fragments. There was the time Thalia appeared unexpectedly - as she always appeared - outside the school on Annabeth's graduation day, in the midst of a milling crowd before the ceremony, and the first person she bumped into was Sally Jackson, who was holding baby Estelle. The ensuing greeting scene ended with Sally saying "would you like to hold her?" and placing the baby in Thalia's stunned arms, when she was interrupted by another parent, and Thalia stood awkwardly by, bouncing a cooing Estelle.

" _Thalia?_ Wait, is that -"

"Oh thank gods." Thalia shoved the child at Percy. "Your baby? Yes."

"Well actually _no_ -"

"Your sister, whatever, more your baby than mine!"

"Hey. It's good to see you. Annabeth's gonna cry."

Thalia shrugged, somewhat pleased with herself that she'd pulled it off. "Is there an extra ticket by any chance? Or shall we start checking the windows?"

"Actually, yeah." Percy pulled a program out of Estelle's mouth. "Her dad's over there, but her stepmom ended up needing to stay home to oversee the house renovation or something. For, you know, the one day this takes."

Thalia squinted at the figure of Frederick Chase. He was on the phone.

"Bitch." She offered.

"Yeah." Percy looked around. "It's gonna start. We should go inside. Grover and Piper are here, too."

They moved toward the doors. "So I heard you graduated last week," Thalia said, knocking his shoulder. "Pretty big. Who would've thought the day would come? I mean literally, _no one thought the day would ever -"_

She broke off, grinning, as Percy knocked her shoulder back, and she tripped into an old man with a cane, which she then had to apologize for.

"Aaaanyway." She said once they were all seated. "It's good to see you're not dead yet."

"Likewise, Grace."

They caught up in undertones during the million boring speeches, ignoring the dirty looks from the middle-aged parents around them. And when Annabeth walked across the stage, they all made an obnoxious cheering ruckus as she accepted her diploma. She glanced around, face flushed with happiness, spotting them easily and making a face at Percy.

When it was over, he turned to Thalia. "You're coming to Montauk for the weekend with all of us, right?"

She paused. "I wasn't planning to, since I'm only just receiving a last-minute pity invite, but I could probably swing it. For Annabeth."

"Okay, cool," Percy said as they joined the throng of people moving toward the exits. "But just so we're clear now, you're totally not driving."

"OH MY GODS -"

"Because you've sincerely scarred me for life with your -"

"GET OVER IT, JACKSON. I can drive a _normal_ car! Nectar under the bridge. Move the fuck on."

He grinned, and suddenly Annabeth was rushing toward them, and in that moment, the world was more than okay.


End file.
